Mark Sanchez didn’t throw this pass. (Original image via AP; Illustration by Chris Chase)
“He sucks. I wouldn’t let Mark Sanchez throw me a paper bag sandwich.” — Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith on the oft-embattled New York Jets quarterback.
Smith made the comments to Charlotte’s WFNZ on Wednesday. The quote led to many questions — four, to be precise.
1. What is a paper bag sandwich? We debated within For The Win headquarters and answers ranged from “a sandwich inside a brown lunch bag” to “how they wrap Philly cheesesteaks” to “which Steve Smith are we talking about here?”
2. Since Smith was so specific about which type of sandwich he wouldn’t accept from Sanchez, does that mean he’d catch other sandwiches from him? Like one in a Ziploc bag? Or wrapped in Subway paper? Or neatly folded in a paper towel? Surely he’d let Sanchez throw him a sandwich wrapped in a headband. That’s Sanchez’s forte.
3. Smith allowed Jimmy Clausen, Matt Moore and Brian St. Pierre to throw him passes in 2010 and it resulted in a career-low 46 catches. Let’s keep some perspective here, Steven.
4. If Sanchez did throw Smith a paper bag sandwich, would Smith back away and be unable to catch the pass? If so, you couldn’t differentiate him from most Jets receivers.
Sanchez was asked about Smith’s comments on Thursday and refused to take the bait. “I wish him and his team a healthy and successful season,” he said. Boo. We wanted something spicier. That’s the sandwich equivalent of a ham and cheese.
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